“In Pursuit”

April 21, 2024

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;

he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff — they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long. ***

Psalm 23 is a well-known psalm of trust that has become woven into the fabric of American culture. You can find this psalm in all genres of music, art, movies, even politics. President Bush cited part of Psalm 23 in his speech to the nation on 9/11. In the John Wayne movie “Rooster Cogburn,” Katherine Hepburn, the female protagonist, recites Psalm 23 in the face of her attacker.

I am guessing Psalm 23 is a favorite of many people because of the peaceful and reassuring picture it presents. It tells of a God who cares, loves, and rescues in times of crisis.

While we do not know anything about crisis at the start, Psalm 23 starts with the affirmation that God provides places and times of peace for the soul to be restored.

After having affirmed trust and confidence in the goodness of God, we learn of some sort of crisis. “Even though I walk through the darkest valley.”

In the Bible, valleys are often a metaphor for times of difficulty, despair, or discouragement. We know such times. No one is immune from pain and sorrow. Here is a truth about being in unwanted valleys — they are always unexpected and unpredictable. You cannot plan them, time or schedule them. They just happen. No one gets through life without valley time.

But the dark valley does not dash the psalmist’s trust in God. “I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff — they comfort me.

Confidence in God’s presence extends even in the valley time — and in the darkness God provides with abundance –You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

How might we profess such trust in divine goodness in those times when defeat, discouragement, and despair land us in a valley of darkness?

Perhaps the only hope of an answer is found at the end of this psalm. Hidden in the final verse in a single word which abounds with good news for dark valley times. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.”

The key word is “follow.” In the language of the Old Testament (Hebrew) “follow” comes from “radaph” which translates more accurately as “to chase after, to pursue.” The goodness and mercy of God does not follow us like a puppy. This divine goodness and mercy gallops after us like a stallion. We are pursued by mercy. We are chased by grace, not merely followed and not just on some days — but all the days of our lives.

When we find ourselves walking in the dark valley, God’s presence is not absent. When we are hurting or grieving, God’s goodness and mercy pursues. This is the good news of great joy that makes Psalm 23 so dear.

When the beauty and assurance of Psalm 23 helps you out of valley time, and green pastures and still waters once again delight you with divine goodness and mercy, be sure to share it with others that they also may come to know the divine mercy that pursues and the grace that chases us.